Knitting machine



Oct 1951 P. J. scHbENsTER ETAL 8 KNITTING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJan. 14, 1949 yzilii/oad 64 RN N MN Oct. 2, 1951 P. J. SCHOENSTER ETAL2,569,582

KNITTING MACHINE Fi led Jan 14, 1949 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 1951 P. J.SCHOENSTER -ETAL 8 KNITTING MAQHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 14, 1949w ww ww I I I l I INVENTORS: Pefenllmoeflsfez' &

Mam 5.55m,

Gaul W A TTORN E YS Oct. 2, 1951 P. J. scHoENsi'ER ETAL KNITTING MACHINEFi'led Jan. 14, 1949 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVEN TORS. PeimZSflfiaensfer&

ATTORNEYS.

. 1951 P. J. SCHOENSTER ETAL 9, 82

KNITTING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Jan. 14, 1949 MNNN mg V Mm N rQQN ME I N VE N TOR S PeZerLSUzamsiez A2 MaxZiEfierZ, @auf A TTORNE YS.

P. J.- SCII-IOENSTER AL 2,569,582

KNITTING MACHINE Oct. 2, 1951 Filed Jan. 14, 1949 9 Sheets-Sheet 8INVENTORS. Peierl Jafioensima Max'EEfie/i, BY W ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 2, 1951 P. J. SCHOENSTER ETAL KNITTING MACHINE 9 Sheetls-Sheet 9Filed Jan. 14, 1949 MN MQE I N QR Fatented Oct. 2, 1951 KNITTING MACHINEPeter J. Schoenster, Teaneck, and Max Emil Ebert, West New York, N. Jassignors to Alfred Hofmann & 00., West New York, N. J., a cor= porationof New Jersey Application January 14, 1949, Serial No; 70,928

16 Claims.

This invention relates to knitting machines. More specifically it hasreference to straight knitting machines of the Cotton type modifiedafter the manner described in U. S. Patent i i-2,430,882 granted to J.P. Ludwig on November 18, 1947, for the production, in one operation, offull fashioned stocking blanks complete with foot portions characterizedby having inset or gusset heel cheeks.

In the knitting machine of the Ludwig patent, sets'of auxiliary presserelements are associated with the spring beard needles of two end groupswhich are employed in the formation of the heel cheeks of the stockingblanks. The presser elements of each set are selected in changingnumbers of co-action with corresponding needles of the aforesaid endgroups to cause them to knit successive courses of the heel cheekgussets while the intervening needles are idled. Such selection of thepresser elements of the two sets is effected by separate selector slideswhich are progressively shifted toward each other for a definite timeinterval, and later progressively shifted away from each other foranother definite time interval, as required to properly fashion the heelchecks.

The chief aim of our invention is to provide improved mechanism forcontrolling an operating the auxiliary presser elements in the heelknitting, which is simpler in construction than that of the Ludwigpatent, and which, moreover, lends itself to incorporation in standardexistent straight stocking knitting machines at very much less expense.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the followingdetailed description of the attached drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a moreor less diagrammatic view in front elevation, of a straight stockingknitting machine embodying our invention.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are transverse sectional views taken as indicatedrespectively by the angled arrows II-II, IIIIII and IVIV in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in front elevation like Fig. 1 drawn to alarger scale.

. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken as indicated by theangled arrows VI-VI in Fig. 1, and likewise drawn to a larger scale.

Fig. 7 is similar to Fig. 6 with the movable parts differentlypositioned.

Fig. 8 is a view, in front elevation of an indexing mechanism which wehave devised for shifting the selector slides for the auxiliary needlebeard presser elements.

Fig. 9 shows the indexing mechanism of Fig. 8 in top plan.

.Fig. 10 shows the indexing mechanism as it appears when viewed from theright of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a vertical section of the indexing machanism taken asindicated by the angled arrows XI-XI in Fig. 8.

offset to clear the knockover bar 28, see Figs. 6

Figs. 12, 12A and 12B are fragmentary broken out views showingsuccessive step in the operation of the indexing mechanism.

Figs. 13, 13A and 13B, taken together, show the timing chain of themachine in top plan; and

Figs. 14-21 are perspective views of various parts which will beseparately referred to hereinafter.

The knitting machine partly illustrated herein for convenience ofexemplifying our invention, is generally of well known construction inthat it has a bar 20 with a series of spring beard needles 2| (Figs. 6and 7), and sinkers 22 and knockovers 23 to cooperate with the needlesin the usual way in stitch formation. After common practice, the sinkers22 are constrained to horizontal sliding movement relative to theneedles 2| in a head 25 which is rigidly supported by the fixed centralmember or bed 26 of the machine framework, and which projects forwardlyof said bed and provides the needle beard press edge 21.

Likewise as originaly, the knockovers 23 are fixed in a longitudinal bar28 disposed at the front of and toe portions of the stockings, pressingtakes place as ordinarily through contact of the needle beards directlywith the press edge 21. During heel formation however, the in and outmovement of the needle bar is modified in a manner similar to thatdisclosed in the Ludwig patent to prevent contact of the beards of theinstep needles with the press edge so that the knitting by the latterneedles is temporarily suspended.

Also, as in the Ludwig patent, we employ left and right sets 30 and 36aof auxiliary presser elements 3| and 3Ia which, during the heelknitting, are adapted to act upon the beards of individual needles oftwo groups adjacent opposite ends of the series on the bar 20. iarypressers, see Fig. 14, are blanked from sheet metal of athicknesscorresponding approximately to that of the individual needles.In accordance with our invention, each such presser element is formedwith a straight lower shank portion 32 which is longitudinally slottedas at 33; an upper shank portion 34 which is angularly and 7, and whichterminates in a short vertical round-ended needle beard engaging tip 35;and a bottom or heel portion 36 which extends rearwardly at right anglesfrom the lower shank portion and which terminates in a dove tail end 31.

In the present instance, each auxiliary presser.

These auxil disposed and assembled in a box-like holder 4|],

consisting of a horizontally-arranged back member 4| (Fig. 15) and acover plate 42 (Fig-;.,16);,

said back member having end portions 43 to abut the rear face of saidcover plate which'latter is removably secured in place by screws 45'(Fig. The front face of the back member 4| and the inner face of thecover plate 42 are formed with traversely aligning vertical grooves 46-and, 41:

for anchorage of spacers 48 between which the auxiliary pressers 3| areslidably retained. The back member 4| is longitudinally channeled at therear as at 49 in Figs. 6, '7 and 15, to engage over a longitudinal bar50 affixed to the front face of the center bed 26. As shown in Fig. 5,the holder 49 is secured in position by headed screws 5| whereof theshanks pass through preallocated apertures 52 in opposite ends of theback member 4| and threadedly engage into the bar, 50. The spacers 48,(see Fig. 1'7) are struck from sheet metal to generally rectangularconfiguration and notched as at, 53 in one of their side edges so as tobe held against vertical displacement in the grooves of part 4|. Thewidth of the spacers 48 is such as to determine an interval between theback and cover members 4| and 42 of the holder wherein the auxiliarypresser elements 3|, while being moved vertically as later on explained,can rock to a limited extent about a fulcrum rod 55which passes throughthe $10135 33 in said elements and through holes 56 in said, spacers,and which is secured at opposite ends in apertures 51 in the portions 43of the cover plate 4|.

The auxiliary pressers 3| are selected for actuation by a slide bar 69,seeFig. 18, having a beveled top edge 6| for engaging the dove tailterminals 3! on the heels 36 of said pressers from beneath as in Fig. 7.The selector slide 60 is guided for endwise shifting in a horizontalgroove 62 in a vertically movable catch member having the form of aplate 63, see Fig. 19, which bears against the front face of the centerbed 26, and which has a flange 64 along its top edge to.overreach theheels 3 6 of the auxiliary presser ele- The holder and the selectingslide and the mounting for the righthand set of auxiliary presserelements are identical in all respects with the holder selectingslideand mounting just described for, the presser elements 3| of the lefthand set. Accordingly, in order: to dispense with the necessity forrepetitive description, all corresponding parts in the right handassemblage of 'presser elements have been identified by the samereference numerals previously employed, with addition in each instance,of the letter a for convenience of more ready. distinction,

Secured centrally to the members 63 and 63a at the bottom are clevises65 and 65a which are pivotally connected by pins 66 and 68a to forwardlyreachingarms 61, 61a on a rock shaft 68 (Figs. 1, 4, 6 and 7) which isrotatably supported in bearings 69 afiixed to the center bed 26. Alsoclamped to the shaft 68 is a pendent arm 19 with a roller 1| adapted tobe acted upon by a rotary cam 12 on the cam shaft 29 of the machine. Theroller II is shiftable into and out of the range ofcam 12 by means of aforked lever-13 which is fulcrumed intermediate its ends at andconnected to-a link rod l6. As shown in Fig. 1 thelink rod 16 extendsalong'thefrontof the machine, at the bottom, to a bellcrank 11 a1"-ranged;v to be actuated by a: serieszof cam lugs I8 on a timing chain19.

Movable endwise in spaced guides (Figs. 1 and 5) secured to the centerbed 26 are two longitudinally extending shift rods 8| and 82. To the rod8| is clamped at block 83 (Fig. 20) which is notched at the top as at 84to engage an outwardly projecting stud 85 on the slide 69, and which hasa bore 86. for passage through it, with a free working fit, of the rod82. In turn clamped to the rod 82' is a. block 81 (Fig. 21) which isnotchedat the top as at 88 to engage an outwardly projecting stud 85a onthe slide 69a, and which has a bore 89 for passage through it, likewisewith a free working fit; of the rod 8|.

For the purpose of shifting the rods 8| and 82; (and the selectorslides69- and 69a) contrariwise and in alternation during the heel knitting,we have provided an indexing mechanism in the form of a self contained,pre-assembled unit which is comprehensively designated 99' in Figs; 1-3;9, 10 and 11. As will be noted from these illustrations, this indexingunit 90 has an open sided housing 9| which is rigidly affixed to thecenter bed 26, and which has spaced front and rear wall members 92, and93 affording bearings for the opposite ends of a transverse shaft 94".Fast on the inner end of the shaft 94within the housing 9| is a spurpinion (Figs. 10 and 11')". which meshes with the teeth of anunderlyinghorizontal bar J8 secured to the shift rod 82 by means of anadapter coupling 91-. Free on the shaft 94 adjacent the pinion 95 isanother spur pinion 98 that meshes with the teeth of a parallel;overlying horizontal bar 99 which is in turn secured to the shiftrod' 8|by an adapter-coupling I99 (Fig. l). Rollers |9| and I92 serve tomaintain the toothed bars 96 and 99 in engagement with the respectivepinions 95 and 98 Keyed to shaft 94 within housing 9| is a pair ofratchet wheels |93 and I94 which are similar except for housingoppositely pitched teeth; and aifixed in a like manner to the hub ofspur pinion 98 is a pair of identical ratchet wheels I95v and I09 withoppositely pitched teeth corresponding in number with the teeth of thefirst mentioned: ratchet wheels. Free on the shaft 94 betweenthe twopairs of ratchet wheels is'a pawl control and stop element in the formof a wheel I91 with; circumferential. notches likewise corresponding innumber with the teeth of the individual ratchets. The pawl control andstop wheel I9! is further provided with a series of circumferentiallyarranged pins H18 and H39 of which alternate. ones project laterallyfrom one side of said disk over the ratchet wheels I93, I04, and ofwhich the intermediate ones project from the other side, the total ofsaid pins being equal to the number" of notches in said wheel; A detentbolt ||0 constrained to up and down movement in a pendent guide bracketII! on the housing 9| and yield ingly urged upwardly by a spring H2,co-acts with the notches of Wheel I91 to prevent accidental displacemento-fthe latter during dwells between rotative shifts imparted thereto ina manner presently explained. Arranged to pickthe ratchet wheels H33 and|95are pawls H3 and I M (Fig. 9) which are pivotally connected forindependent movement to a supporting arm ||5=.' free to oscillate aboutthe shaft 94, and which are yieldingly urged towardsaidratchet wheelsbysprings as-shown. Similarly arrangedtopick the ratchet wheelsI941=andl|96 are spring-biased; pawls H6 and Ill which arepivotallyconnectedz 51" for independent movement to another supportingarm I I8, likewise capable of oscillation about the shaft 94. Theindexing unit 90 further comprises a discous pawlguard element I20 whichis free on the shaft 94 and interposed between the frontal member 92 ofth housing 9| and the ratchet wheel I03, and whereto are secured, withprovision for circumferential adjustment. segmental shields I2I and I22which are adapted to react upon the pawls I I3, I I4 and H6, I I1respectively. When the disk I20 is in the position of Fig. 8, the pawlsH3 and H4 are retracted from the ratchet wheels I03 and I05, while thepawls H6 and I I1 are permitted to function. Movement of the disk I20 tothe position of Fig. 12 results in reversal of the above condition, i.e., th pawls I I6 and H1 are held retracted from the ratchet wheels I04and I06, while the pawls H3 and H4 are permitted to function. In Fig. 12the end of the pawl I I 4 is positioned in the interval between twoadjacent pins IBM and I091) of the series I09 on the stop wheel I01 andengages the ratchet wheel I65, with the pawl H3 resting against anintermediate pin E0801 of the series I08 and thereby held away from theratchet wheel I03. Thus as the arm II5 moves downward as in Fig.12A, theratchet wheel I05 is turned counterclockwise to the extent of one tooth,and the stop wheel turned in the same dlirection and to a like extent byaction of the pawl II4 upon the pin I09a. Upon subsequent rise of thearm I I5 as in Fig. 123, the end of pawl II3 will enter between the pinsI08a, Ib and engage the ratchet wheel I03, the pawl II4 being at thesame time withdrawn from the ratchet wheel I by the pin I091).Therefore, on the next down stroke of the arm II 5, the ratchet wheelI03 will be picked and turned anticlockwise and the stop wheel I01turned in unison therewith by the action of the pawl II3 upon the pin I06a. On the next up stroke of the arm II5 the relation of the pawls H3and H4 will again be as in Fig. 12. In this way, the ratchet wheels I03and I05 will be continuously picked counterclockwise in alternation aslong as the guard disk I20 is positioned as in Fig. 12, with the resultthat through the spur pinions 95 and 98, the toothed bars 96 and 99 andthe selector slides 60 and 60a connected to them will be oppositelyshifted respectively to the left, and right in alternation as indicatedby the arrows in Fig. 12. With the disk positioned as in Fig. 8 and thepawls H6 and H1 released, the ratchet wheels I04 and I06 will bealternately picked clockwise through control of said pawls by the stopwheel I01 as the arm I I8 is rocked up' and down in the same manner asdescribed above in connection with the pawls H3 and H4, whereby, throughthe pinions 95 and 98, the toothed bars 96 and 99 and the selectorslides 69 and 60d respectively connected to them will be oppositelyshifted respectively to the right and left in alternation as indicatedby the arrows on them in Fig.9. The component parts of the indexing unitare so proportioned that, by individual shifts of the levers I32 and I33are coupled, through horizontal links I38 and I39, to the vertical armsqf bell 7 pins I08 on control wheel I01.

crank levers I40 and m affixed to another loflgi tudinally-extendingrock shaft I42. As shown,

shaft I42 is rotatively supported at one end in a.

rearward extension I43.of the bracket I36 and 1 by other suitablebrackets such as the one shown at I45 in Fig. 2 at intervals lengthwiseof the machine clamped to a non-rotating rod or shaft I46 of themachine. Also affixed to the shaft I42 is an arm I41 which, through alink rod I48, is connected to an arm I49 free to oscillate on the loopregulating shaft I50 at the front of the.

machine, and which carries a roller I5I adaptedto be acted upon byanother rotary cam I52 on cam shaft 29. The roller I5I is shiftable intoand out of the path of cam I52 by a fork I53. As shown, fork I53 has auniversal pivotal connection intermediate its ends at I55 with the armI49, and is connected to another horizontal shift rod I56 which extendsalong the front of the machine and is connected to a bell crank I51,

see Fig. 1, arranged to be actuated by a series of cam lugs I58 on thetiming chain 19.

The pawl control element I20 of the racking unit is similarly governedfrom the timing pivoted at I61, see Fig. 1. The other arm of lever I66is coupled by a vertical link rod I58 to a finger I69 arranged to beactuated by another series of cam lugs I10 on timing chain 19.

Operation Let it be assumed that the calf and ankle portion of astocking blank has been completed on.

the knitting section of the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and that thepress movement of needle bar 29 has been modified in preparation for theheel formation as hereinbefore mentioned. With the two groups 30 and 30aof the press elements positioned as in Fig. 5, and with the pawl guarddisk I20 of the unit 90 positioned as in Fig. 8, the heel knitting isinitiated by starting of the timing chain 19. Upon engagement of thefirst lug of the series 18 on chain 19 with bell crank lever TI (Fig.1), the roller II on arm 10 is shifted through rod 16 into the path ofrotary cam 12 on cam shaft 19. By this action, the catch plates 63 and63a are actuated to elevate the selected auxiliary presser elements 3|,3 la as in Fig. 4, so that said elements will be in position to becontacted by and to close the beards of the heel needles somewhat laterin the same rotation of said shaft during formation of the first heelcourse. By the next shift of timing chain 19, the first lug of theseries I58 will actuate bell crank lever I51 (Fig. 1) and, through rodI56, cause roller I5I on arm I49 to be moved into the path of rotary camI52 on cam shaft 29 (Fig. 2) whereby, through-the interposed connectionsI48, I41, I42, I4I, I33 and I3I, arm II8 of racking unit 90 will beoperated and ratchet wheel I06 picked one tooth by pawl II1, thecompanion pawl II6 being at this time held retracted from ratchet wheelI04 by one of the ratchet wheel I 06, spur pinion 9B of racking unit 90is rotatively shifted clockwise, in Fig. 8 with attendant shifting ofthe toothed bar 99 rightward in Fig. 5 and impartation, through the rodBy this pick of 8i and the block 83,. of a corresponding shift to the.slide 60, whereby an auxiliary presser element 3| is added to the lefthand active set. This shift, it is to be understood, occurs as the heelyarn carriers move rightward. .Now it will be observed from Fig. 13,that the second chain lug of the series 18 adjacent the firstlug of theseries I58 again operates the bell crank lever. 11 so that the selectedauxiliary presser elements 31, 3Ia are actuated as before to cause theheel yarns to be knitted by the selected heel needles for the secondheel course. Incident to picking of the ratchet wheel H16 of rackingunit 96 as just explained, the pawl Il'l, throughengagement of its endwith one of the pins [39 on stop wheel I01, will cause said wheel to beshifted in unison with said ratchet I05. Upon completion of thisrotative shift, the pin I38 which held pawl H6 is advanced beyond saidpawl H3 with the result that the latter will be positioned as in Fig. 8in readiness to pick ratchet wheel H24 while the pawl I I1 is at thesame time withdrawn from the ratchet wheel 136 by a succeeding pin H39.Thus, upon passage of the second lug of the series I58 on chain "l9beneath the bell crank lever I51, the ratchet wheel lilli of the rackingunit 93 will be picked a tooth by pawl lit, with consequent impartationof a clockwise rotary shift to the spur pinion 95 and through thetoothed bar 96 and rod 82 connected to the latter, of a leftward shiftto the slide 60a. An auxiliary presser element is thereby added to theright hand group 30a for widening of the right hand heel cheek by twoextra needles. The latter shift, it is to be understood, occurs duringrightward traverse of the heel yarn carriers. The above action proceedswith addition of two needles in alternation to the two heel knittinggroups until the heel cheeks have been widened to the desired extent. Atthe completion of the widening, the narrowing phase of the heel knittingis initiated by the first lug of the series H on timing chain 19 which,in encountering finger 169 (Fig. 1) causes, through the interposedconnections E38, I55, I35, I62 and I60, movement of control disk we ofracking unit 93 to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 12, wherebypawls Iii-i and Ill are idled and pawls H3 and H4 released for activity.

As a consequence, the ratchet wheels I03 and I05 are thereafteralternately picked under control of wheel I01, and the pinions 95 and 98of racking unit 9B alternately rotated counterclockwise intermittentlyto induce progressive out ward shifts of the slides 69 and 60a relativeto each other in alternate courses of the ensuing knitting. In this way,the number of active aux iliary presser elements of the two sets 30 and30a is gradually reduced and the heel cheeks therefore correspondinglynarrowed progressively, the catch plates 63 and 63a and the pawlcarrying arm N8 of racking unit 90 being of course actuated during thenarrowing phase as the chain lugs 78 and I58 continue to successivelyunder pass the fingers FT and I57. Upon completion of the narrowing, thepawl control disk 420 of rack-- ing unit 99 is finally restored to theoriginal or normal position in which it is shown in Fig. 8' upon passageof the last lug of the series I10 on chain 19 beyond finger [69.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a straight knitting machine, a fixedlysupported sinker head with aforward projectionproviding a press edge; a bar with spring beardneedles adapted tobe moved toward and away from the press edge duringstitch formation:

vertically-arranged auxiliary beard presser ele ments adapted to coactwith individual needles and disposed beneath the forward projection ofthe sinker head, each such element having a longitudinal slot mediallyof its height; a fixedly-- supported holder in which the presserelements are maintained in definite separation with capacity forindependent up and down and pivotal movement; a horizontal pivot rodwithin the holder passing through the slots of the several auxiliarypresser elements; means operative dur ing the knitting to select varyingnumbers of the presser elements; and actuating means for lifting and atthe same time moving the selected elements about the pivot rod so thattheir upper ends are positioned to the front of the presser edge.

2. A straight knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the presserelements extend below the holder and have rearwardly projecting heelportions at their bottom ends; wherein the selecting means is in theform of an endwise shiftable slide for engaging the heel portions of theauxiliary presser elements from beneath; and wherein the actuating meansis in the form of a vertically reciprocative member with a guide groovefor the selector slide, and with a longitudinal flange projection forengaging the heels of said elements from above.

3. In a straight knitting machine, a series of spring beard needles; aplurality of beard presser elements adapted to act upon individualneedles;

a selector slide shiftable longitudinally of the group of presserelements; and indexing mechanism for shifting the slide to selectvarying num bers of the presser elements including a toothed bar, a spurpinion in mesh with the teeth of the bar, and selective means forimparting intermittent rotative shifts to the pinion in one directionduring certain phases of the knitting and in the other direction duringother phases of the knitting.

4. A straight knitting machine according to claim 3, wherein theindexing mechanism is in the form of a pre-assembled unit capable, assuch, of application to or removal from the machine.

5. A straight knitting machine according to claim 3, further including acam shaft from which the knitting instrumentalities derive theirmovements; and connections motivated from the cam shaft for actuatingthe selector slide indexing means.

6. A straight knitting machine according to claim 3, further including acam shaft from which the knitting instrumentalities derive theirmovements; a timing chain; and connections governed by the timing chainand actuated from the cam shaft for actuating the selector slideindexing mechanism.

7. A straight knitting machine according to claim 3, further including acam shaft from which the knitting instrumentalities derive theirmovements; a timing chain; connections governed by the timing chain andactuated from the cam shaft for actuating the selector slide index-' ingmechanism; and means also governed from the timing chain for actuatingthe selective means to determine the direction in which the spur pinionis intermittently rotated.

8. In a straight knitting machine, a series of spring beard needles; agroup of beard presser elements adapted to act upon individual needles;a selector slide shiftable longitudinally of the group of presserelements; and indexing mechanism for shifting the slide to selectvarying numbers of the presser elements including a toothed bar, a spurpinion in mesh with the teeth of the bar, a pair of ratchet wheelssecured to the spur pinion and respectively having oppositely pitchedteeth, individual pawls for picking the respective ratchets, and meansfor selecting between the pawls to determine intermittent rotations ofone of the ratchet wheels during certain phases of the knitting andintermittent rotations of the other ratchet wheel during other phases ofthe knitting.

9. A straight knitting machine according to claim 8, further including acam shaft from which the knitting instrumentalities derive theirmovements; a timing chain; and connections governed from the timingchain for actuation from the cam shaft for actuating the pawls of theindexing mechanism, and other connections also governed by the timingchain for actuating the selective means of the indexing mechanism todetermine the direction in which the spur pinions are intermittentlyrotated.

10. In a straight stocking knitting machine, a press edge, a series ofspring beard needles; groups of vertically-arranged pivoted beardpresser elements adapted to act upon individual needles of two groupsrespectively at opposite ends of the series; separate selector slidesshiftable longitudinally of the respective groups of presser elements;indexing mechanism for shifting the selector elements contrari-wiseincluding two toothed bars respectively connected to the slides, a pairof spur pinions, one in mesh with and overtraveled by one of the toothedbars, and the other in mesh with and undertraveled by the other toothedbar, and selective means for imparting intermittent rotative shifts tothe two pinions in one direction during certain phases of the knittingand in the other direction during another phase of the knitting; andmeans for raising the slides to lift and at the same time pivotselectively varying numbers of the presser elements so that their upperends are positioned to the front of the press edge for engagement by theneedle beards.

11. A straight knitting machine according to claim 10, further includinga cam shaft from which the knitting instrumentalities derive theirmovements; and connections actuated from the cam shaft for actuating theindexing mechanism.

12. A straight knitting machine according to claim 10, further includinga cam shaft from which the knitting instrumentalities derive theirmovements; a timing chain; and connections governed from the timingchain for actuation from the cam shaft for to operate the indexingmechanism.

13. In a straight knitting machine, a press edge, a series of springbeard needles; groups of vertically-arranged pivoted beard presserelements adapted to act individually upon needles of two groupsrespectively at opposite ends of the series; separate selector slidesshiftable longitudinally of the respective groups of presser elements; apair of parallel toothed bars respectively connected to the slides; aspur pinion in mesh with and overtraveled 'by one of the toothed bars;an independently-rotatable coaxiallymounted spur pinion in mesh with andundertraveled by the other toothed bar; pairs of ratchet wheels securedto the pinions, the respective wheels of each such pair havingoppositely pitched teeth; a set of pawls for picking thesimilarly-pitched ratchet wheels of the respec- 10 tive pairs; anotherset of pawls for picking the other similarly-pitched ratchet wheels ofthe respective pairs; a guard element for holding one set of the pawlsretracted with the other set released for operation; control means fordetermining alternate operation of the active pawls on the ratchetwheels with which they are respectively associated whereby, through thespur pinions and the toothed bars, the selector slides are shiftedcontrari-wise in alternation during certain phases of the knitting;means for changing the position of the guard element to render the setof previously active pawls idle and at the same time release thepreviously retracted set to operate alternately upon the other pair ofsimilarly pitched ratchet wheels under governance of said control meansfor concurrent contrari-wise shifting of the selector slides likewiseprogressively and in alternation as before but in the oppositedirections during other phases of the knitting; and means for raisingthe slides to lift and at the same time pivot selectively varyingnumbers of the presser elements so that their upper ends are positionedto the front of the presser edge for engagement by the needle beards.

14. A straight knitting machine according to claim 13 wherein the pawlcontrol means is in the form of a disk supported for independentrotation coaxially between the two pairs of ratchet wheels and havingcircumferentially-arranged pins of a number corresponding to the teethof the ratchet wheels, with alternate pins extending laterally over onepair of the wheels and the intermediate pins extending laterally overthe other pair of wheels, said pins being so disposed that the end ofone of the active pawls is permitted to enter between a pair of pins atone side of the disk to engage its ratchet wheel and at the same timecause the disk to be moved with such ratchet wheel, while the other ofthe active pawls is temporarily held withdrawn from its ratchet wheel bya pin at the other side of the disk and vice versa.

15. A straight knitting machine according to claim 13. further includinga cam shaft from which the knitting instrumentalities derive theirmovements; a timing chain; connections governed from the timing chainand actuated from the cam shaft for actuating the pawls; and otherconnections likewise governed from the timing chain and actuated fromthe cam shaft for moving the guard element.

16. A straight knitting machine according to claim 13, wherein thetoothed bars, the spur pinions, the ratchet wheels, the pawls and thepawl control means are preassembled into the form 01' an indexing unitcapable, as such, of application to or removal from the machine.

PETER J. SCHOENSTER. MAX EMIIL EBERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Num er Name Date 2,430,882 Ludwig Nov. 18, 194'?FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 8,899 Great Britain of 1893

